Device for selecting heddles for the application of threads



1951 s s. c. FLEISCHER 2,564,330

DEVICE FOR SELECTING HEDDLES FOR THE APPLICATION OF THREADS Filed July 9, 1947 raised somewhat harnesses. The raising of the harness may be I brought about manually or otherwise.

Patented Aug. 14, 1951 DEVICE FOR SELECTING HEDDLES FOR THE APPLICATION OF THREADS Svend Sigurd Christie Fleischer, Charlottenlund,

- Denmark Application July 9, 1947, Serial No. 759,894 In Denmark June 19, 1944 Section 1, Public Law 690, August 8, 1946 Patent expires June 19, 1964 17 Claims.

. 1 In the weaving of textile fabrics the warp threads are passed through heddles arranged in frames called harnesses. By raising and lowering the harnesses alternately the threads enaged by the heddles are simultaneously raised and lowered. In this manner there is produced a shed in the thread layer, through which shed a shuttle carrying the weft thread is passed during the weaving process.

The passing of the threads through the heddles has hitherto been effectuated by an operator extracting a thread from the thread layer that -is wound on a beam, and holding this thread towards the heddle, whereupon another operator by means of a heddle hook draws the thread through the eye of the heddle.

- -Prior to this, the weaving diagram is produced on a drawing that indicates the sequence cause in case a thread is passed through a wrong heddle it will be necessary to remove all subsequent threads and pass them through their correct heddles according to the diagram. This causes a great waste of time.

To provide a quicker and more exact selection of harnesses and heddles a mechanical and automatic method has been proposed for indicating the harness carrying the heddle through which a certain thread is to be passed. This method consists in the harness in question being in relation to the other This raising of the harnesses is, however, not

practicaLhecauseit requires not alone a comparatively great consumption of power which is tiring, because the operation is repeated thousands of times, but the continual movement up up, and down 'of the heddles bring about disorder among the threads already passed through the heddle eyes.

In order to improveupon this method it has been proposed that instead of raising the harnesses for indication purposes there are employed light threads, cords, bands, or rods, disposed longitudinallyto the harnesses and crosswise to the heddles, and which are raised and lowered to indicate the harness in question. This raising and lowering is brought about by means of a jacquard mechanism in which the said members are suspended. In this manner the power consumption is reduced and the method accordingly less tiring, but it still requires the employment of a jacquard mechanism, and there is still a constant movementup and down of the indicating members with a resultant flickering which is disturbing and tiring. Furthermore the indicating members employed form a network above the eyes of the heddles which to some extent obscures the view of the heddles and complicates theselection of the correct heddle.

The present invention relates to a device for selecting heddles for the application of threads, in which device the heddles are indicated in a sequence corresponding to a weaving diagram, and in which device there are indicating members which in a predetermined sequence by a manual preliminary movement automatically by electrical means provide a visible indication, partly of the heddles, or of the harnesses carrying the heddles which at any time are to be selected, and partly if desired of the thread layer of the beams from which the thread in question is to be extracted.

This device ofiers the advantage that only a minimum of manual labor is required, and there does not occur any up and downward movement of the harnesses or heddles, or of any special indicating members, for, which reason disturbing flickering as formerly known is eliminated, and the operation is not disturbing or tiring to the operator.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which'Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a treadle-oper'ated circuit closer which may be used in connection with the device shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a schematic perspective view, partly in section, of oneform of device embodying the invention and in which there are employed signal lamps as indicating means.

The device illustrated in the drawing has only four harnesses withappertaining heddles. In the drawing only the lower part of each of the harnesses lis visible. The upper parts of the harnesses are omitted for the sake of distinctiveness.

The heddles 2, the upper portions of which are not visible in the drawings, are arranged slidably along rods 3 disposed rigidly in the end portions of the harnesses. In the drawing only a portion of the lower rods 3 are visible. The heddles: 2 have each an eye 4 in their middle.

The thread layers 5 and 6 are wound; on beams i and 8 respectively, from which the threads supplied to the heddles may be taken,. but threads may be taken from only the one layer as illustrated, or there may be more than two thread layers, from which threads are taken.

In the manner of construction illustrated the device consists of indicating members in: the form of signal lamps that are lighted and extinguished, and which operations are performed by means of the heddles through the eyes of which threads are to be passed in accordance with the weaving diagram. Direct light may be employed, in which instance the signal members may be placed close to the heddles. or if there is insufficient room for the signal members close to the heddles the direct light may be so arranged" that the light is for instance reflected through a hollow member provid'ed with a slit facing the heddles. Reflecting light may likewise be employed, for instance as indicated in the drawing, where the signal lamp 22 is placed beneath theharness l within a holder 23 that has an extension 2'4 made of transparent material as for instance glass, or a translucent material as Celluloid. The extension 24 is so formed that it may be placed between the harnesses I, and may extend up to the heddle 2. The light from the signal lamp will issue through the extension and be reflected from the upper end thereof. To obtain an improved signal light the lamps may be colored. Signal lamps for either direct, indirect, or reflected light through the members 24, may be arranged in front of or in rear of or both in front and in rear of the heddles. In the latter instance the lamps are lightedin pairs- There may likewise. be arranged. signal lights for indicating the thread layers 5 and 6' or the thread beams I and 8.. Such signal lamps are indicated. by 25. and 26 respectively. There may likewise be employed. direct, indirect, or reflected light in the same manner as described in connection with the heddles.

The. signal. lamps 22, the. holders 23, and the extensions 24. are disposed, movably across the thread layer on any. suitable. support (not shown? so that the signal lights are. always. close to the heddlesthrough the eyes of. which threads are to be passed. Upon. reference to Fig. 2 it will be seenthat the lamp holders 23 areconnected by a forwardly and rearwardly extending bar under the. bottom. bars of the harnesses, said. bar being suitably supported for movement lengthwise of the harnesses.

The signals produced bythe signal lamps 22 are obtained by. means ofa. rotary, electric circuit The contact points 28: are arranged in such. a

manner on the drum 21 that during the rotation of the drum the signal lamps are lighted in the sequence determined by the weaving diagram.

The contact points 28 on the drum 2'! may for instance be obtained bythedrum being; made of electrically conductivematerial, over which there is placed an interchangeable endless band of electrically non-conductive material, which band has apertures through which contact fingers 3| may be'brought into-conductive contact with the drum surface in a predetermined sequence.

The current for the signal lamps is taken from from a suitable source of current 32, and is distributed through a suitable wiring 33. If desired the circuit through the wiring 33 may be opened and closed by the treadle-operated switch shown in Fig. 1 in which I! is a pivoted treadle carrying contact I38 to engage a suitably supported coacting contact [39, the Wires 33 being run to said contacts.

Instead of operating the signal lights by a tilting means such as the treadle' [1 the operation may be brought about by the operator actuat ing an electric contact for every thread to. be passed through the eyeof a heddle, thereby supplying current to the electromagnet 34 that op.- erates the pawl mechanism 30, 23 give the d rumsa step-by-step rotary movement. This electric contact device may for instance be omitted by a heddle hook 35 being suspended in a telescopic rod 33 arranged to swing on apin 3 1 Therod 33 has a contact arm 38 which by swinging. the rod coacts with a contact-member 39 for closing the circuit through the electrcmagnet 34 Any other suitable manually actuate'd' switch may be used to control the circuit through the coil of the electrical device 34.

Instead of the rod 36 and the contact members 38 and 39-, the heddle hook may be electrically connected to the wiring 33 and behind the heddles 2 there may be placed contact rails by means of which the circuit through the electromagnet 34 is closed, when a heddle hook is inserted through the eye of a heddle and contacts the rail behind the heddle. Such contact' rails 'arenot included in the drawing.

In connection with the: pawl mechanism 30, 29, or the core of the electromagnet 34, there may be arranged members that interrupt the circuit to the contact drum'during its rotational movement. Furthermore theremay in connect'ion with the pawl mechanism 30, 2-9, or withthe with the drum surface.

I claim:

I. In a device for selecting heddles in asequence corresponding to a predetermined. weaving diagram, the combination with a. loom. having a series of parallel harnesses carrying heddles to. be threaded, of illuminating: indicating-members, each includinganielectricsignal lamp, there being one member associated with each of the harnesses, means for holding said members in close relation to the harnesses to illuminate the heddles thereof, a rotary, electric circuit controller for illuminating said lampsin. a predetermined sequence, an electric circuit including said controller and said signal lamps, electricallyoperated means for giving saidcontroller a stepby-step rotary movement, a manually-actuated switch. and a second electric circuit including said. switch and said electrically-operated means.

2. The combination. of claim 1 in which said holding means connects all of said indicating members and is movable lengthwise of the harnesses to illuminate various heddles thereof.

3. The combination of claim 1 together with means for interrupting the circuit of said signal lamps when said rotary circuit controller is rotated.

4. In a device for selecting heddles in a sequence corresponding to a predetermined weaving diagram, the combination with a loom having parallel harnesses carrying heddles to be threaded, and beams carrying the thread layers supplying threads to the heddles, of a plurality of illuminating indicating members, each including an electric signal lamp, there being one member associated with each of the harnesses, means for holding said members in close relation to the harnesses to illuminate the heddles thereof, a second plurality of illuminating indicating "members, each of the latter being associated with one of said beams and including an electric sig-- 'nal lamp, a rotary, electric-circuit controller for illuminating the lamps of both of said pluralities of indicating members in a predetermined sequence, an electric circuit including said controller and all of said signal lamps, electricallyoperated means for giving said controller a stepby-step rotary movement, a manually-actuated 5. The combination of claim 4, together with means for interrupting the circuit of all of said signal lamps when said rotary circuit controller is rotated.

6. In a device for selecting heddles in a sequence corresponding to a predetermined weaving diagram, the combination with a loom having a series of parallel harnesses carrying heddles to be threaded, of an electric signal lamp for each of the harnesses positioned adjacent the bottoms of the harnesses, holding means connecting all of said lamps and extending in a forward "and rearward direction under the bottoms of all of the harnesses, a rotary, electric-circuit controller for illuminating said lamps in a predetermined sequence, an electric circuit including said controller and said lamps, electrically-operated means for intermittently rotating said controller, a manually-actuated switch and a second electric circuit including said switch and said electrically-operated means.

'7. The combination of claim 6 together with upright light-directing extensions on said holding means and associated with each of said lamps, said extension projecting above the bottoms of the harnesses to illuminate the heddles of the respective harnesses.

8. The combination of claim 6 in which said holding means is movable longitudinally of the harnesses.

9. In a device for selecting heddles in a sequence corresponding to a predetermined weaving diagram, the combination of illuminating indicating members, means for holding the indicating members in close relation to the parts to be selected, rotatable electric contact members for actuating the indicating members in a predetermined sequence, means for electrically actuating the said rotatable members to rotation, an electric circuit, a contact device included in this circuit, a telescopic rod attached to the one contact member for actuating it to movement in relation to the other contact member of the contact device, and a heddle hook attached to the free end of the telescopic rod.

10. In a device for selecting heddles in a sequence corresponding to a' predetermined weaving diagram, the combination with a loom having parallel harnesses carrying heddles to be threaded, of an electric signal lamp associated with each of the harnesses, holding means connecting all of said lamps for holding them in close relation to the harnesses to be selected, said holding means being movable lengthwise of the harnesses, a rotatable contact drum, electrically operated means for actuating the said drum to rotation, an electric circuit including the drum surface, the signal lamps, and contact fingers corresponding in number to the signal lamps, a nonconductive sheet inserted between the drum surface and the contact fingers and having perforations for producing electric contact between the said contact fingers and the drum surface in a predetermined sequence for lighting the signal lamps, a contact device'included in the circuit, and manually-actuated means for actuating the said contact device.

11. In 'a device for selecting heddles in a sequence corresponding to a predetermined weaving diagram, the combination with a loom having parallel'harnesses carrying heddles to be threaded, of an electric signal lamp associated with each of the harnesses, holding means connecting all of said lamps for holding them in close relation to the harnesses to be selected, said holding means 'being movable lengthwise of the harnesses, a rotatable contact drum, electrically operated means for actuating the drum to rotation, an electric circuit including the drum surface, the signal lamps, and contact fingers corresponding in number to the signal lamps, a nonconductive sheet inserted between the drum surface and the contact fingers and having perforations for 12. In a device for selecting heddles in a sequence corresponding to a predetermined weaving diagram, the combination with a loom having parallel harnesses carrying heddles to be threaded, of an electric signal lamp associated with each of the harnesses and disposed adjacent the lower bars thereof, movable holding means connecting all of said lamps for holding them in close relation to the heddles to be selected, light-directing extensions carried by said holding means and associated with said lamps, said extensions projecting upwardly above the bottoms of the lower bars of the harnesses to direct light from said lamps upon the heddles, a rotatable contact drum, electrically-operated means for actuating the drum to rotation, an electric circuit including the drum surface, the signal lamps and a number of contact fingers, a nonconductive sheet inserted between the drum surface and contact fingers and having perforations for producing electric contact between the drum surface and the contact fingers in a predetermined sequence for lighting the signal lamps, a contact device included in the circuit, and manually-actuated means for actuating the said contact device.

13. In a device for selecting heddles in a sequence corresponding to a predetermined weaving diagram, the combination with a loom having parallel harnesses carrying heddles to be threaded, of an illuminating indicating member associated with each of the harnesses, movable holding means connecting all of said members and movable with respect to the harnesses to positions in which the indicating members are in close relation to the heddles to be selected, rotatable means for illuminating said indicating members in a predetermined sequence, electrically-operated means for actuating said rotatable means, and electric contact members for controlling said electrically-operated means.

- 14. In a device for selecting heddles in a sequence corresponding to a predetermined weaving diagram, the combination of electric signal lamps, means for holding the lamps in close relation to the parts to be selected, a rotatable contact drum, electrically operated means for actuating the drum to intermittent rotation, an electric circuit including the drum surface, the signal lamps, and contact fingers in a number corresponding to the number of lamps, a nonconducti-ve sheet inserted between the drum surface and the contact fingers and having perforations for producing electric contact between the drum surface and the contact fingers in a predetermined sequence for lighting the signal lamps, means for interrupting the circuit during the intermittent movement of rotation of the drum, a contact device included in the said circuit, and manually-actuated means for actuating the said contact device.

15, In a device for selecting heddles in a sequence corresponding to a predetermined weaving diagram, the combination of electric signal lamps, means for holding the lamps in close relation to the parts to be selected, a rotatable contact drum, electrically operated means for actuating the drum to intermittent rotation, an electric circuit including. the drum surface, the signal lamps and contact fingers, a nonconductive sheet inserted between the drum surface and the contact fingers and having perforations for producing electric contact between the drum surface and the contact fingers in a predetermined sequence, means for raising the contact fingers out of engagement with the said sheet during the g intermittent rotation of the drum, a contact device included in the said circuit, and manually.- actuated means for actuating the said contact device.

16. In a device for selecting heddles in a loom in a sequence corresponding to a predetermined weaving diagram, the combination within the loom, of indicating members disposed at the front and the back of each heddle to be selected, means for holding the indicating members in close re;- lation to the said heddles, rotatable members for actuating the indicating members in pairs in a predetermined sequence, electrically-operated means for actuating the said rotatable members to rotation, and contact members for controlling the said electrically operated means.

17. In a device for selecting heddles in a .sequence corresponding to a predetermined weaving diagram, the combination of harnesses carrying heddles, beams to hold thread layers to supply threads to the heddles, two groups of in.- dicating members, means for holding one group of these members in close relation to the heddles to be selected, and another group in relation to the beams carrying the thread layers, rotatable electric contact members for actuating both groups of indicating members in predetermined sequences, electrically operated means for actue ating said rotatable electric contact members to rotation, contact means for controlling the said electrically operated means, and manuallyactuated means for actuating the said contact members.

SVEND SIGURD CHRISTIE FLEISCHER.

, REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Numb-er Name Date 1,188,070 Hathaway et a1. June 20, 1916 1,803,111 Harter Apr. 28, 1931 

